SPRING 2010

www.amca.org

IN THIS ISSUE:

Fan efficiency guides: How to apply the new standard Quantifying the benefits of smoke dampers in sprinklered buildings

Supplement to Consulting-Specifying Engineer

sprIng 2010

A M C A I n t e r n At I o n A l

presidents message
InMot I on StAFF
Marian Vambreck, Director of Membership, Marketing and Communications AMCA International, Inc. Michael G. Ivanovich, Editor-in-Chief, Consulting-Specifying Engineer Amara Rozgus, Senior Editor & Manager of E-Content, Consulting-Specifying Engineer Leslie Pappas, Manager, Creative Services Patrick Lynch, Associate Editor

would be a year or so before the commercial buildings industry felt any impact from it. Well, were obviously still in that lag. Nonetheless, AMCA continues to work toward improving not only the products of our members, but the resources available to our customers for improving their processes for designing, sizing, and selecting air movement and control systems. One way AMCA is instrumental to our industry is in the development of testing standards for the AMCA Certified Ratings Program, which provides engineers, contractors, and owners with the assurance that AMCA-certified products will perform as expected in the field. AMCA also develops standards and guidelines that help engineers with the design and specification of systems. I am excited to report that AMCA Standard 205-10, Energy Efficiency Classification for Fans, was approved by the AMCA International membership in February, and that this issue of AMCA inmotion has an in-depth article on how to apply this standard.

n the Fall 2009 issue of AMCA inmotion, I commented that economists were reporting an uptick in the economy, but it

inmotion w w w. a m c a . o r g

Publ I cAtI on Serv IceS

Reed Business Information 2000 Clearwater Drive Oak Brook, IL 60523 phone: 630-288-8780 fax: 630-288-8782 Jim Langhenry, Publisher Trudy Kelly, Assistant to the Publisher Elena Moeller-Younger, Marketing Director Michael Rotz, Production Manager

b oArd o F dIrector S
Art LaPointe, President Vice President and General Manager Construction Specialties Inc. Denis Labelle, Chairman of the Board Executive Vice President, T.A. Morrison & Co. Michael Barry, Vice President President Twin City Fan Companies, Ltd. Vic Colwell, Treasurer Vice President, Sales & Marketing Loren Cook Company George Atkinson, Director At Large President Hartzell Fan Company Barbara L. Morrison, Executive Director AMCA International Stephen Dane Carey, Director Director of Engineering United Enertech Corporation Patrick Cockrum, Director President, Pottorff John Knapp, Director Vice President - Marketing & Sales Ruskin Company Mike Pijar, Director General Manager Berner International Corporation Dr. Geoff Sheard, Director Director of Engineering Flakt Woods, Ltd. Gary Stroyny, Director Executive Vice President & CFO Greenheck Fan Corporation C.F. Yang, Director Executive Vice President & CFO Kruger Ventilation Industries Pte Ltd.

For information on this standard and all AMCA standards and guidelines, and for electronic versions of this and other issues of AMCA inmotion, visit AMCAs Web site at www.amca.org. Sincerely,

Art lapointe 2009-2010 President, AMCA International Vice President and General Manager, Construction Specialties Inc.

feature articles
5 the role of Fan efficiency in reducing HVAC energy Consumption
A new fan efficiency grading system can help designers select high-efficiency fans to help reduce overall energy use. By Dr. Michael Brendel

departments
3 presidents Message news 4

11 Dampers: An essential Component of Fire protection Design

Automatic fire and/or smoke dampers and automatic fan shutdown in HVAC systems are effective in preventing the migration of smoke, flame, and heat during a fire. By Vickie Lovell

15 Calendar

AMCA International, Inc. is a not-for-profit association of the worlds manufacturers of related air system equipment. For over 80 years, it has led the way in standards development and application research.

AMCA

NEWS

SPRING 2010

inmotion

P U B L I C AT I O N U P DAT E S
Product Rating Manual for Acoustical Duct Silencers
AMCA International reafrmed AMCA publication 1011-03, a Certied Ratings Program Product Rating Manual for Acoustical Duct Silencers, and provides a program for certifying a products sound dynamic insertion loss, airow generated noise, and pressure drop performance ratings. Products that can be licensed by AMCA to bear the AMCA Certied Ratings Seal are prefabricated acoustical duct silencers. Prefabricated acoustical duct silencers are dened as silencers that are constructed in advance, or manufactured in standard assemblies or sections ready for eld installation. The program applies to acoustical duct silencers within the scope of AMCA International for which performance rating catalogs are published and made available to the public. When performance ratings for both licensed and unlicensed products are contained in the same catalog, a clear distinction must be made between licensed and unlicensed products, as required in Section 11 of AMCA International Publication 11, Certied Ratings Program Operating Manual. When licensed products are used as component parts of a larger unit, the AMCA International Certied Ratings Seal shall not be applied to the complete unit. The seal can only be applied to the individually licensed components.

A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Energy Efciency Classication for Fans

The Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA International) announced that AMCA STANDARD 205-10, Energy Efciency Classication for Fans, was approved by the AMCA International membership on February 19, 2010. This standard denes the classication for all fan types designed to be driven by motors of nominal rating 125 W (1/6 hp) and above. The fans can range from the purpose-built single fan to series-produced fans manufactured in large quantities. This standard applies to the fan and not to the fan system, and it excludes classication for circulating fans. This standard may be used by legislative or regulatory bodies for dening the energy efciency requirements of fans used in specic applications.

W W W. A M C A . O R G

Laboratory Methods for Testing Actuators

AMCA International announced that the Board of Standards Review of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the following document on December 2, 2009: ANSI/AMCA STANDARD 52009, Laboratory Methods for Testing Actuators. This standard establishes an industry standard for minimum rating and testing of actuators used on re/smoke dampers. The testing requirements for ANSI/AMCA Standard 520-09 will cover torque or force rating, long-term holding, operational life, elevated temperature performance, periodic maintenance, production, and sound testing for both pneumatic and electric operators.

Application Manual for Airow Measurement Stations

AMCA International has reafrmed AMCA 600-06, Application Manual for Airow Measurement Stations, which provides important points to be considered when designing or specifying HVAC and other applications in installations requiring airow measurement stations (AMS) for use in temperatures from -30 C to +120 C (-20 F to +250 F), pressures to 250 Pa (10 in. wg), and velocities to 28 m/s (5,500 fpm). The AMCA 600-06 manual is intended to assist designers and users with proper application, performance considerations, selection, and limitations of airow measurement stations. This guide provides an overview of permanently installed airow measurement stations and their application. Such information is not readily available in current texts on HVAC or ventilation system design and will help designers to avoid typical problems, including incorrect location, inappropriate measurement range, mismatched accompanying instrumentation, AMS incompatible with the intended application, and the like. All AMCA publications are available at www.amca.org/store/ default.aspx

A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

BY DR. MICHAEL BRENDEL, LAU INDUSTRIES/RUSKIN COMPANY, DAYTON, OHIO

inmotion

Fan Efciency
in Reducing HVAC Energy Consumption
A new fan efciency grading system can help designers select high-efciency fans to help reduce overall energy use.

The Role of

W W W. A M C A . O R G

n 2008, the United States consumed about 100 quadrillion BTU (106 EJ) of source energy to power everything from lightbulbs to automobiles. That is the equivalent of over 29 million kWh, or a per capita energy consumption rate of 11 kW. The vast majority of this energy comes from a limited supply of nonrenewable resources. This has led many industries to implement far-reaching initiatives and policies to address energy conservation, and the HVAC industry is no exception. The annual energy consumption for heating and cooling of commercial buildings is estimated at 5 quadrillion BTU (5.3 EJ). About one-third of this energy is used by the supply, return, and exhaust fans. While this estimate represents a small fraction of overall energy consumption, responsible energy awareness and management at all levels is necessary to achieve long-term energy reduction goals. This article reviews the energy requirements of HVAC air distribution systems and shows how a new fan efciency grading system, embodied in standard AMCA 205, will play a role in assuring energy-smart fan selections. See the related news story on the recent passage of AMCA 205 on Page 4.

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
A typical HVAC distribution system includes a network of ductwork, coils, lters, dampers, diffusers, and many other specialized components. Airow through these devices encounters resistance, in the form of a pressure drop, which must be overcome by adding energy to the ow. This energy can be separated into potential and kinetic components, corresponding to the static and velocity pressure. The total energy, or total pressure (Pt) by analogy, is the sum of the two components: potential plus kinetic. Static pressure (Ps) and velocity pressure

(Pv) can be traded back and forth in a duct system, so both need to be correctly accounted for when considering energy consumption. Ignoring compressibility effects, the rate at which energy must be added to maintain a prescribed airow rate is the total pressure drop multiplied by the ow rate. This is called the air power and in I-P units it is calculated as Ho = PtQ/6362 where Ho is the air power (hp), Pt is the total pressure drop (in-wg), and Q is the ow rate (cfm). Although the air power must be provided by the fan, it is important to recognize that the required air power is a result of system design and does not depend on the fan selection. A clear goal in reducing HVAC system energy consumption is to minimize the required air power through proper design of the air distribution system; that is, minimize the system pressure drop and/or the ow rate. This responsibility rests with the system designer and is the rst step in achieving energy reduction. Specifying an energy-efcient fan can go a long way toward reducing energy consumption, but it is not a sufcient requirement. A poorly designed air distribution system with a high total pressure drop might utilize a high-efciency fan, but the net energy consumption could be higher than a properly designed system with low total pressure drop, utilizing the same fan. One way to assure good system design is to specify a maximum allowable air power per unit ow rate, H o /Q. This effectively places an upper limit on the system pressure drop, Pt. A variation of this approach is currently used in the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 standard to encourage good system design.

FAN EFFICIENCY
Figure 1 is a Sankey diagram showing the energy ow through a fan system. A typical fan system consists of a motor,

SPRING 2010

inmotion

Fan shaft power A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L Motor output power

Fan aerodynamic loss Fan bearing loss

mechanical losses (e.g., bearings), and, to a much lesser extent, acoustic losses. The total efciency Mechanical Air of the fan is given by the ratio of air power to fan Fan Input Motor drive Motor power power controls shaft power. Establishing energy-efciency goals for fans presents a number of challenges. Fan Fan acoustic loss Drive losses total efciency is a function of many variables Motor losses Control losses including fan type, airow, speed, and impeller size. For example, HVAC fans are often designed Figure 1. Fan energy ows from left to right through a typical fan system. as a product series that includes multiple sizes to meet different airow requirements. Fans within the series generally have geometric similarity whereby motor control, mechanical drive, and the fan. Power ows from key dimensions scale in direct proportion to the fan impeller left to right, with each component rejecting a portion of the diameter. However, it is well known that smaller HVAC fans do input energy as a result of inefciencies. Energy efciency of not perform as well as larger fans from the same series. This is each component is the ratio of the output power to the input due to practical limits in manufacturing tolerances, aerodynamic power. The fan imparts energy to the air stream by converting effects, and disproportionate mechanical losses that occur as the mechanical power at the fan shaft to air power at the outlet. fan size is reduced. Some of the input energy is rejected due to aerodynamic losses,

W W W. A M C A . O R G

A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20
FEG 85 FEG 80 FEG 75 FEG 71 FEG 67 FEG 63 FEG 60 FEG 56 FEG 53 FEG 50

Over the past several years, fan industry leaders within the AMCA and ASHRAE communities have developed a simple metric to classify fans by their energy efciency: the Fan Efciency Grade (FEG). The FEG has been proposed in draft standards AMCA 205 and ISO 12759, and offers code/regulatory bodies a tool for specifying fan energy-efciency targets. The FEG for a given fan is determined from the peak total efciency (pTE) and the impeller diameter using the curves shown in Figure 2. These curves are constructed so that fans in a given geometric series should all have the same FEG regardless of fan size. The FEG is established by plotting the impeller diameter and peak total efciency, then reading the associated FEG band in which this point falls. For example, a fan with an impeller diameter of 15 in and a peak total efciency of 71% would have an FEG of 80. The FEG applies to a fan without any drive components. It is customary in many parts of the world for manufacturers to sell fans without motors or drives. Selection of efcient motors,

Peak total efficiency, pTE (%)

inmotion W W W. A M C A . O R G

10

15 20 25 30 Impeller Diameter (in)

35

40

45

Figure 2. Fan Efciency Grade curves are used to classify fans by their energy efciency.

controls, and drive systems is left to the buyer, which provides exibility in designing custom HVAC products. This also places the responsibility for achieving higher FEGs directly in the hands of the fan manufacturers. More details concerning the

HIGH PERFORMANCE. ENERGY EFFICIENT.

High performance buildings require high performance products. Ruskin Green Products are AMCA Certied or fully tested in our AMCA Accredited Laboratory. From Sunshades reducing thermal loads on the outside of the building to Value-Flo balancing dampers providing the correct amount of air at the branch take-off, we have the energy efcient solution for you. To learn more about Ruskin Green products, or to locate a representative nearest you, visit our website at www.ruskin.com or call us at (816) 761-7476.
3900 Dr. Greaves Rd Kansas City, MO 64030 (816) 761-7476 Fax (816) 765-8955 Email: ruskin@ruskin.com

Specified By Many Equaled By None

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A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

inmotion

t (%)

500,000 Annual energy consumption (kWh)

Total pressure, Pt (in. wg), Total efficiency,

Pt

pTE
400,000 Pt = 8 in wg 300,000 Pt = 6 in wg

10 points

W W W. A M C A . O R G

200,000

100,000
Best total efficiency Acceptable Unacceptable

Pt = 4 in wg

Pv
Flow rate

22

25

27

30 33 Fan size (in)

36

40

Figure 3. This diagram depicts a typical fan curve and the proposed 10-point total efciency band.

Figure 4. This chart shows examples of fan selections in terms of annual energy consumption.

Table 1. Selections for 25,000 cfm @ 6 in-wg (total pressure)

FAN SIZE 22 25 27 30 33 36 40 SPEED (RPM) 2507 1992 1656 1399 1247 1138 1044 SHAFT POWER (HP) 36.1 31.7 29.2 28.3 29.4 31.6 33.8 TE pTE DIFFERENCE

65.6% 74.6% 80.9% 83.5% 80.3% 74.7% 69.9%

78.0% 80.0% 82.0% 83.5% 83.5% 84.0% 84.0%

12.4% 5.4% 1.1% 0.0% 3.2% 9.3% 14.1%

will not guarantee that fans are properly selected. Per AMCA 205, codes that specify a minimum FEG must also require that fan selections be within 10 points of the peak total efciency. This additional requirement assures high-efciency operation and helps place emphasis on total operating cost, rather than rst cost. But how restrictive is the 10-point limit on fan selection?

FAN SELECTION
Figure 3 shows a typical fan curve with both the total pressure and efciency characteristics as well as the proposed 10-point total efciency band. For most common fan types (DWDI Airfoil, plenum, DWDI forward curved, etc.), approximately 50% of the fan capacity is available for selection. This is often comparable to the manufacturers recommended selection range. By way of example, consider an air handler that delivers 25,000 cfm (42,500 m3/h) at 6 in-wg (1,500 Pa) total pressure. Selections were obtained from a series of belt-drive double-wide airfoil fans having a FEG of 85. Table 1 shows several selections meeting the performance target along with required shaft power and total efciency. Five of the seven selections are acceptable based on the 10-point efciency requirement. Taking this one step further, Figure 4 shows the selections in terms of annual energy consumption. Here it is assumed that the motor and mechanical drive efciencies are both 90%

history, development, and scope of the FEG may be found in a previous article. The FEG is not the fan efciency. It is a classication that represents the energy efciency potential of a fan. It is the responsibility of the system designer to properly select fans to best suit the needs of the application. Future regulations may place a lower limit on acceptable FEG as part of an overall strategy to reduce fan energy consumption. However, this alone

DR. MICHAEL BRENDEL is vice president of Lau Industries/Ruskin Company. A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L inmotion

and that the duty cycle for the fan is continuous. This plot also shows the importance of minimizing the system restriction by considering the same 25,000 cfm ow requirement for 8 inwg (2,000 Pa) and 4 in-wg (1,000 Pa) systems. In both cases, several fan sizes meet the 10-point restriction, although the fan size for best performance increases with decreasing pressure requirement. The number of available selections offers the system designer reasonable exibility in selecting a fan size to meet other design requirements. For example, further energy reductions are possible with a VAV (variable air volume) system where fan speed is modulated based on a duct pressure signal. The fan must be selected to assure efcient operation and acceptable turndown to meet multiple ow conditions. This requires careful consideration of the fan operating schedule to determine the net energy consumption at each operating point. In some instances, this may lead to a fan size that is smaller than that selected for continuous operation.

SUMMARY
Energy consumption of HVAC systems is garnering much attention on both national and international fronts. Achieving energy reduction goals in HVAC air distributions systems can be accomplished on several levels. Designing systems that minimize pressure drop for a given ow requirement must be

The FEG is not the fan efficiency. It is a classification that represents the energy efficiency potential of a fan.

Volumetric flow rate (design requirement) Intake louver Control damper Ductwork Terminal

Diffuser W W W. A M C A . O R G

Fan

Filter Coil

Balance damper

System resistance (design result)

A typical HVAC air distribution system consists of a variety of a/c and air control elements. The ow rate is a design requirement, while the system resistance is the result of component selection and design calculations.

the rst priority in reducing energy consumption. Selection of high-efciency fans that operate near peak efciency complements good system design and contributes to overall energy reduction. The FEG, a new fan energy-efciency classication that has been proposed in AMCA 205 and ISO 12759, offers a simple metric for code and regulatory bodies to formulate new energy standards for fans. The added requirement for selecting and operating fans within 10 points of peak total efciency assures meaningful energy conservation without over-restricting system design options.

REFERENCE 1. Annual Energy Review. DOE/EIA-0384. U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2009. 2. Westphalen, D., and S. Koszalinski. Energy Consumption Characteristics of Commercial Building HVAC Systems, Vol. II: Thermal Distribution, Auxiliary Equipment, and Ventilation. DOE/BTX. October 1999. 3. ASHRAE/ANSI/IESNA Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. ASHRAE. Atlanta, 2007. 4. Brooks, J., J. Cermak, and J. Murphy. Fan Industry Meeting Energy Challenges. AMCA Inmotion Spring 2009.

Fan Airflow Performance Fan Energy Efficiency Fan, Louver and Duct Silencer Sound Performance Damper, Louver, and Duct Silencer Pressure Drop Performance Damper and Spiral Duct Leakage Performance Effectiveness of Louvers against Water Penetration Louver Performance against Wind Driven Rain Airflow Measuring Accuracy

Fans and Systems for System Effect Factors

Quantifies the effects of duct system design on fan performance.

Visit www.amca.org for Certified Ratings Program information.

Assure your Green Building with AMCA Certied Products!

ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
30 West University Drive Arlington Heights, IL 60004-1893 U.S.A. Tel: (847) 394-0150 Fax: (847) 253-0088 E-mail: info@amca.org Web: www.amca.org

AIR MOVEMENT AND CONTROL

BY VICKIE LOVELL, INTERCODE INC., DELRAY BEACH, FLA.

SPRING 2010

A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L inmotion W W W. A M C A . O R G

An essential component of re protection design

Automatic re and/ or smoke dampers and automatic fan shutdown in HVAC systems are effective in preventing the migration of smoke, ame, and heat during a re.

DAMPERS:

ased on an examination of NFPA data in the 1930s, in 1939 the National Board of Fire Underwriters recommended that dampers be installed in HVAC systems to interrupt the passage of smoke, ame, and heat during a re. Since that time, numerous experts in the eld of the re sciences have substantiated the effectiveness of automatic closing re and/or smoke dampers and automatic fan shutdown in HVAC systems in preventing the migration of smoke, ame, and heat to areas of a building remote from the area of origin. Throughout the world, re protection engineers and mechanical engineers continue to incorporate re and/or smoke dampers into the re protection design of many types of modern buildings.

CODE REQUIREMENTS
A re damper is a device, installed an HVAC system, that closes automatically upon the detection of heat in accordance with UL standard 555. A smoke damper is a device

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A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

W W W. A M C A . O R G

THE SPRINKLER RELIABILITY DEBATE

At the heart of every debate in the decision to eliminate a re or smoke protection feature in order to offset the expense of automatic sprinklers are two issues: reliability of automatic sprinkler systems and their relative cost/benet. The fact that sprinkler systems fail to perform satisfactorily from time to time is not debated. However, the frequency and the causes of such failures stir controversy. When such malfunctions occur, a re that would have been a nuisance can quickly become a potential catastrophe. Sprinkler reliability gures are tossed about casually to promote their installation without much consideration given to the consequences of sprinkler failures in buildings where many other features have been eliminated. In 2009, NFPAs John Hall authored the report, U.S. experience with Sprinklers and Other Automatic Fire Extinguishing Equipment. The re data used to support the study was gathered from 2003 through 2006. In the study, Hall states that automatic sprinklers are highly effective elements of total system designed for re protection in buildings with sprinklers cover the area of origin, they do they operate in 95% of all reported structure res large enough to activate sprinklers. When they operate,

AMCA RESEARCH
In 2008, the Air Movement and Control Assn. International (AMCA) contracted with Koffel Assocs. Inc. to conduct a literature search to identify credible work on this subject, and to use the research ndings (if any) as the basis for additional computer

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installed in an HVAC system to control the movement of smoke in accordance with UL 555S. Combination re/smoke dampers fulll the function of both re and smoke dampers, and must meet the testing requirements of both. In the United States, the legacy model codes contained provisions for requiring construction capable of resisting smoke spread. Some of those requirements included the installation of smoke dampers. The 2000 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC) retained the requirement for smoke dampers in corridor walls when the corridor has a re resistance rating in language similar to the legacy codes. But the 2000 IBC added a new requirement that requires smoke dampers at the penetration of shaft enclosures in lieu of requiring engineered smoke control systems, which had also been mandatory under certain conditions in two of three of the legacy codes. This code change was accepted in the new IBC on the basis that many of the previously required re-rated and smoke-resistant oor and wall requirements in the legacy codes were permitted to be weakened or eliminated when automatic sprinklers were installed. Because smoke dampers installed in duct penetrations of shaft enclosures is a relatively new building code requirement, and despite the concern about smoke spread throughout buildings (including sprinklered buildings), the requirement for smoke dampers in duct penetrations of shafts has been under attack in every IBC change cycle since 2000. The opponents of smoke dampers have previously cited the installed cost and maintenance cost of smoke dampers as an unreasonable expense to building owners, without increasing the safety of the building occupants. The debate will occur again during the hearings for the public comment on FS 113 May 18 to 19 in Dallas at the ICC Final Action hearings for the 2012 IBC. The reliability and effectiveness of sprinklers is often cited as a justication for removing the requirement for smoke dampers in shafts. The International Code Council (ICC) voting membership has consistently rejected proposals to entirely remove smoke dampers from duct penetrations from shafts. Although the ICC has voted to support some revisions since the proposal was approved, it still applies to many buildings. However, the valid question remains as to the cost benet of smoke dampers in shafts in sprinklered buildings.

The International Code Council (ICC) voting membership has consistently rejected proposals to entirely remove smoke dampers from duct penetrations from shafts.

modeling. The literature search resulted in two interesting ndings: First, no documents were found that would support the removal of smoke dampers in shaft penetrations. On the contrary, the literature search provided a sampling of res from the past 25 years where smoke spread was an issue for occupant life safety. Many of the res occurred in occupancies in which at least some of the legacy building code requirements would not specically have required smoke dampers but would have required construction capable of preventing smoke spread, which could have included dampers. The data collection methods from the time period studied would not have specied when smoke dampers would have been required, or even if they had been provided as an above-code provision. Second, the literature search identied a relatively recent modeling effort and some full-scale re tests on the vertical spread of smoke in buildings via shafts. The additional modeling research, which has been contracted to be completed by Koffel Assocs., expands on these two studies in an attempt to better quantify the benet of smoke dampers at duct penetrations of shafts in sprinklered buildings. (The report on the research and modeling conducted by Koffel Assocs. was nearing completion at the time of this articles printing, and will be available in the near future through AMCAs website at www.amca.org.)

IN A

FIRE,

THE HIGHEST RISK TO LIFE

IS

SMOKE.

AIR MOVEMENT AND CONTROL

ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL, INC.

www.amca.org
A M C A I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 3 0 W. U n i ve r s i t y D r i ve, A r l i n g t o n H e i g h t s, I L 6 0 0 0 4 Phone: 847-394-0150

SPRING 2010 Vickie Lovell is the president of Intercode Inc., Delray Beach, Fla. Intercode specializes in national model building code development and inmotion consulting for companies with commercial markets that are affected by building codes and standards.

A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

they are effective 96% of the time, resulting in a combined performance of operating effectively in 91% of reported res were sprinklers was present in the re area and the re was large enough to activate. In 1997, an NFPA study examined re data from 1986 to 1995 to evaluate the extent of ame and smoke spread in sprinklered and nonsprinklered buildings. For high-rise buildings (seven stories or taller), the study showed that 11.4% of res in sprinklered buildings resulted in smoke damage beyond the re oor, while 15.4% of res in nonsprinklered buildings resulted in smoke damage beyond the re oor. For mid-rise buildings (three and six stories), 15.7% of res in sprinklered buildings resulted in smoke damage beyond the re oor while 34.4% of res in nonsprinklered buildings resulted in similar damage. While the study was unable to dene the severity of the smoke damage or toxicity, it is signicant that so many res in sprinklered buildings had smoke damage beyond the re oor. If smoke dampers were to be eliminated in sprinklered buildings, and the automatic sprinkler systems failed for whatever reason, the spread of smoke during res would almost certainly increase. It is important to note that neither NFPA report supports the position that sprinkler systems eliminate smoke, or that res that are controlled by sprinklers do not continue to smoke production. G. W. Mullhollands paper entitled Smoke Production and Properties, recorded in the 1995 SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, estimated that if the airborne soot particulates produced by burning an upholstered armchair lled with 9 lbs of polyurethane foam were uniformly distributed throughout 1,800-sq-ft room, a person would not be able to see his or her own hand held at arms length in front of his or her face. Even when sprinklers successfully suppress a re, the re can be expected to continue to burn and produce soot particulates and toxic gases. Numerous studies have been conducted on res where the sprinklers water spray was shielded by some obstruction and never reached the item that was burning. Such res effectively became nonsprinklered res. Experts conrm that automatic sprinkler systems are very effective, although not infallible or a panacea. The sprinkler industry, the re service, and the re protection community are continually striving to improve sprinkler reliability when the causes of sprinkler failure become known. John Klote, in an article entitled Compartmentation and Dampers are Essential, stated, in our ever-changing organizational functions, materials, construction methods, and architectural designs, it is reasonable to expect that new failure situations will arise. For that reason, sprinklered buildings need other re (and smoke) protection features to ensure an adequate level of protection in the event of sprinkler failure.

W W W. A M C A . O R G

Additionally, damper manufacturers, contractors, installers, and the re service are cooperating to ensure that the dampers are both installed correctly and periodically inspected to ensure functionality. Building codes can control the construction materials used in a building, which is taken into consideration when sprinkler systems are designed. However, neither building codes nor designers can control the materials that occupants bring into the building. If the wrong types of materials are brought into a building a sprinkler system that would otherwise control a re can be easily overwhelmed. Therefore, sprinkler systems are best supported by designs, systems, and devices such as smoke dampers that help to manage smoke migration, even during successful sprinkler activation.

CONCLUSION
There is little debate as to whether an HVAC system can transport smoke to areas remote from the re areas origin. However, there is still some debate as to how best to manage the smoke in both sprinklered and nonsprinklered res. For many years, system shutdown was the standard approach to achieving some control over smoke migration. Since 2000, however, the operation of the HVAC system in smoke control mode is not required in most buildings constructed to the IBC. Without an engineered smoke control system, or complete system shutdown and functional smoke dampers at shaft penetrations, the HVAC system can transport smoke to every building area the system serves. Even shutting down the HVAC system without dampers will not prevent it from supplying oxygen to the re and will not entirely prevent smoke movement throughout the HVAC system. The installation of smoke dampers at the shaft penetration by the duct can help inhibit smoke movement through the HVAC system.

REFERENCES 1. Koffel Assocs. Inc. 2009. Literature Search of Smoke Damper Performance for Air Movement and Control Assn. International Inc., Elkridge, Md. 2. Koffel Assocs. Inc. 2009. Smoke Damper Evaluation for Air Movement and Control Assn. International Inc., Elkridge, Md. 3. Mullholland, G. W. 1995. Smoke Production and Properties. SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, Quincy, Mass. 4. Klote, John H. 2004. Compartmentation and Dampers are Essential. John H. Klote Inc. Leesburg, Va. 5. Klote, John H. 1993. Air Moving System and Fire Protection. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NIST. Gaithersburg, Md.

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AMCA

NEWS

A M C A I N T E R N AT I O N A L

AMCA Internationals 2010 Event Calendar

AMCA Pacic Rim Region Meeting Beijing, China April 8, 2010 AMCA European Region Meeting Lyon, France April 1214, 2010 AMCA Midyear Meeting Elk Grove Village, Ill. May 23, 2010 AMCA International 55th Annual Meeting Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club Aventura, Fla. October 1417, 2010 AHR Expo Mexico Mexico City October 26-28, 2010 Big 5 Dubai, UAE November 22-25, 2010 U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC Greenbuild) Chicago November 16-18, 2010 NFPA Las Vegas June 7-9, 2010 AIA Miami June 10-12, 25010 China Refrigeration Expo Beijing, China April 7-9, 2010 AHR Expo Las Vegas January 31- February 2, 2011 AMCA International 56th Annual Meeting Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Hawaii October 19-22, 2011

inmotion W W W. A M C A . O R G

ad index
COMPANY AMCA International, Inc. Greenheck Fan Corp. Loren Cook Company Mars Air Systems Ruskin PAGE NO. 11, 13 16 2 4 6, 7 PHONE NO. 847-394-0150 715-359-6171 417-869-6474 800-421-1266 816-761-7476 WEBSITE www.amca.org www.greenheck.com www.lorencook.com www.marsair.com www.ruskin.com

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sales team
Midwest / International Mark McMichael 2000 Clearwater Drive, Oak Brook, IL 60523 phone: 630-288-8154 fax: 303-265-5451 mmcmichael@reedbusiness.com Northeast Richard Groth, Jr. 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451 phone: 781-734-8680 fax: 303-265-2206 rgroth@reedbusiness.com West/Texas/Oklahoma John Bolduc 7323 E. Morninglory Way, Orange, CA 92869 phone: 714-997-2220 fax: 714-997-0958 john.bolduc@reedbusiness.com

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i d e a s f o r g re e n b u i l d i n g s .

Heck, we were green before green was cool.

For decades, Greenheck has focused on the environmental side of the building industry developing reliable, energyefficient products and systems to promote occupants health and comfort. As one of the first manufacturers of air movement and control equipment to join the U.S. Green Building Council, Greenheck is ready to provide products that support sustainable-design projects based on LEED certification guidelines. We help engineers, architects, contractors and owners succeed in their green initiatives, or any project.
Prepared to Support Green Building Efforts

Going green? Go Greenheck visit our Web site or contact our representative nearest you.

Greenheck products improve energy efficiency and air quality (many contribute to LEED credits).
Energy Recovery Indoor Air Quality Dampers Airflow Monitoring Kitchen Ventilation

Highly energy-efficient Greenheck ERV products provide fresh outdoor air to meet the ASHRAE 62 ventilation rate standard, while recovering energy from the exhaust air stream.

Controlling airflow in commercial HVAC systems, our dampers meet ASHRAE 62 or ASHRAE 90 energy codes and International Energy Conservation Code low-leakage requirements.

The Sure-Aire Airflow Monitoring Station provides flow verification to ensure proper system balancing, while improving air quality and controlling industrial processes.

Reducing operating costs by operating at peak efficiency, our variable-volume kitchen system increases or decreases exhaust and supply air volume to match the cooking load.

715.359.6171 greenheck.com
Centrifugal & Vane Axial Fans | Fans & Ventilators | Energy Recovery Ventilators | Make-up Air Units | Kitchen Ventilation Systems | Dampers | Louvers | Lab Exhaust Systems